Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Позорный секрет “христианского” бытового насилия.


Позорный секрет “христианского” бытового насилия.
10:00AM EDT 5/18/2016 J. LEE GRADY
В прошлое воскресенье в полицию поступил звонок из дома одного из спокойных районов Миннеаполиса, Иден Прери.  Приехав в этот дом, полицейские обнаружили, что Любе Савенок, 23-х летней матери двоих малых детей, было нанесено множество ножевых ранений. Она была беременная третьим ребенком. Оба умерли этим утром.

Позже муж Любы Евгений сознался, что он убил свою жену, сбежав из дома с двумя детьми.  Сегодня дети находятся под опекой родственников, а он ожидает суда.

Эта красивая пара с сыном и дочкой посещали евангельскую церковь. Позже сообщили, что Люба уже обращалась в полицию о помощи защитить ее от своего мужа, когда они жили недалеко от Чикаго.
Он рассказала властям о том, что Евгений неоднократно бил ее, разбивал нос, вырывал волосы и однажды разбил окно в припадке гнева.

Полиция была вызвана также в дом Савенок и в прошлый август,  где они обнаружили, что Евгений ударил свою жену так сильно, что на спине ее были обнаружены  синяки. Он должен был предстать перед судом по этому делу на этой неделе. Но теперь он уже будет судим за убийство.
Мы все знаем, что домашнее насилие происходит за закрытыми дверями в нашей стране. Но что самое трагичное, это происходит в христианских семьях: и этот грех редко обсуждается с кафедры. Потому что у меня есть много друзей из русско-говорящих церквей в этой стране, я был в ужасе услышав о Любе Савенок, которая приехала из Эстонии.

Но когда я разговаривал с некоторыми из моих друзей-славян, я узнал, что домашнее насилие - это позорный секрет, о которым люди перешептываются в церкви, но редко разбираются с ним.

“Моя сестра была изнасилована, избиваема в течение 17 лет.” - делилась одна славянская женщина из средне-западного штата, - “Я была свидетелем эмоционального и физического насилия, а также сексуального подавления, включая наркотики, для того чтобы контролировать женщин.” Необходимо тщательное расследование такого насилия среди славянских эмигрантов.”
Одна женщина из Флориды сказала, что когда ее подруга просила помощи у пастора из -за постоянного насилия в своем 20-летнем браке, пастор сказал ей подчиниться жестокости мужа.” Он сказал, что ей надо стать лучшей женой, и это тогда изменит поведение ее мужа.” - рассказывала она.
Некоторые из тех людей, у кого я брал интервью по этому поводу, боялись называть свои настоящие имена, потому что в их общине считается неправильным рассказывать о насилии в русско-язычных церквях.
“Когда  о насилии становится известно, то это стараются не обсуждать, из-за религиозных традиций, - сказала одна христианка славянской общины, живущая в Калифорнии. “ К сожалению, церковь не готова разбираться с этой проблемой.”
Исследования показывают, что домашнее насилие достигло вопиющий масштабов  в русских семьях. И многие  славянские женщины бояться даже сообщать в полицию о насилии, потому что их мужья угрожают им расправой.  Таня Левчик, которая основала группу на Фейсбуке 

“Славянские христианки”, сказала, что настало время для Славянских пасторов разобраться со слоном в комнате.”

“Многие славянки бояться даже озвучить свои страхи, из-за того, что  во главу угла ставится репутации всей славянской общины,” -“ Они чувствуют, что над ними будут смеяться, а не защищать, и они всегда будут виноваты, просто потому что они женщины.”  Группа  Левчик на Фейсбуке уже достигла 14 000 женщин.

Мой славянский друг Павел Музычук, 31 год, делающий миссионерскую работу в 8 странах мира, сказал, что этот случай с Любой Савенок стал своего рода звонком для церковных лидеров как среди славянских общин, так для всего Тела Христова.

“ Мое сердце разбито из -за славянских женщин, которые скрывают свои нездоровые отношения в семье и страдания,”- сказал он. “Страх, религиозная гордость и имидж “мачо” среди славянских мужчин  - это все должно быть адресовано решительно,  чтобы женщины  славянских общин были избавлены от насилия.”

Стефан Карнаух, выросший в славянской семье в  Нью-Йорке сказал, что пришло время открыть болезненную правду о насилие и учить мужчин уважительно относиться к жене. “Вынося на свет правду, мы наконец сможем защитить семьи и мы сможем научить детей стать божьими супругами, родителями и любить Христа,” - сказал Карнаух.

Нам нужно посмотреть в лицо факту, что убийство Любы является не просто проблемой среди славянских верующих. Годами американские  пасторы говорили женщинам “просто подчинись” мужу-насильнику, не понимая, что такой совет ведет к еще большему насилию.

Вместо того, чтобы неверно толковать Ефесянам 5:22 (“Жены, будьте послушны свои мужьям, как Господу во всем.”) и ставить женщин под опасность, мы должны правильно использовать Библию, чтобы предупреждать насильников о том, что Бог яростно противится мужчинам, которые смотрят на своих жен как на низших существ.  1Петра 3:7 предупреждает мужей, что их молитвы не буду воспрепятствованы, если муж не почитает свою жену, как сонаследницу благодатной жизни.

Давайте осмелимся посмотреть правде в глаза. Давайте бороться с насилием, исцелять его жертвы и  давайте остановим извращение Писания, ради покрывательства насильников.  


J. Lee Grady  бывший редактор журнала Харизма.

Friday, April 24, 2015

God Cares About Our Pain: Grief and Loss

Mat 5:4 (NRSV) "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
We all suffer grief. Sometimes it's the excruciating pain of losing someone we are very close to, whether through death or a move or just a loss of the relationship. Sometimes it's a change in a relationship. It might be a job loss, the loss of a pet, or a failure of some sort, which is the death of a dream. Whatever our pain, we need to remember three things:
  1. God understands.
  2. God cares.
  3. God can bring us through it and even make something beautiful out of it. 
"Grief is a journey, often perilous and without clear direction," writes author Molly Fumia. "The experience of grieving cannot be ordered or categorized, hurried or controlled, pushed aside or ignored indefinitely. It is inevitable as breathing, as change, as love. It may be postponed, but it will not be denied." 
Fumia says it well. When it comes to grieving the death of a loved one, there are no linear patterns, no "normal" reactions, no formulas to follow. The word "grief" is derived from the French word "grève," meaning a heavy burden. Indeed, the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual implications can be overwhelming. 

While grief is an expected response to a significant loss, the unfamiliar emotions that arise can lead to feelings of helplessness, fear and isolation.
Following a death, everyone works through these stresses differently. Some are instantly devastated; others feel numb and disconnected. Some withdraw socially, while others reach out for support. What's more, just when the initial shock begins to subside, a deeper sense of reality and despair sets in. Those who grieve may need to learn new skills, adopt different habits and adjust to daily life without the physical presence of the person who died.
Although grieving is an individual experience, there are symptoms many people share after suffering personal loss:
  • Feels physically drained
  • Can't sleep at night
  • Forgetful and unable to think clearly
  • Noticeable change in appetite
  • Physical distress such as chest pains, headaches or nausea
  • Stays extremely busy to avoid thinking about his or her grief
  • Eats, drinks watches television, etc. excessively
  • Participates in harmful activities
  • Senses or dreams about the deceased
  • Becomes withdrawn, lonely and apathetic
  • Frequent sighing and crying
Each person sets his or her own pace when grieving. There will be ups and downs, moments of relief followed by moments of anguish. The first few days after someone dies are generally the most intense, marked by chaos, strong emotions and a "dreamlike" sensation.

God empathizes with our pain. His own Son, Jesus -- Who is God -- suffered grief. I think readily of one example.
John 11:33-35 (NRSV) When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
Of all people, Jesus certainly knew about Heaven. He knew that Lazarus wasn't suffering. But He also knew that it hurt, to lose him. Even though we know someone is suffering less, or something is for the best, God doesn't expect us to just act like nothing has happened, or say "Well He is with Jesus praise God," and go happily on our way. It is wonderful to keep an eternal perspective. However, God has built grief into us as a normal emotion, and we need to allow ourselves to feel it and work through it. God cares about our pain. He knows everything, including our emotions, but He wants to hear from us.
Psa 62:8 (NRSV) Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
He wants us to pour out our hearts to Him. He wants to hear our hurts. He isn't an aloof God who distances Himself from what we are going through. He is a loving God, a Shepherd, a Father. Those of you who are parents -- think about how you feel for your children when they are grieving, over a friend who has moved, beloved pet who has been killed.
And our Heavenly Father loves us even more than we love our children. Imagine how much more than that even, He cares for us in our griefs! But the ultimate perspective we have does need to be eternal, as well as God's glory and purpose even now. And we often find God has taught us valuable lessons from our pain. I think of two valuable insights I have gained through pains I have encountered:
 
I can now better understand others' pain.
When we are hurting, and afterwards, we need to ask God to use this for His glory and to help his other children.
2 Cor 1:4 (NIV) who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Rom 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
I cherish now the relationships that I have.
I realize how short life can be, and that we need to tell people now how much we appreciate them. We need to take time for the family and friends God has blessed us with.

Saturday, February 28, 2015

A BOLD Invitation For MEN




















MEN: A personal invitation to join God-fearing men in an intense discipleship 3-day event that will happen May 28-30, 2015. You can register by going to http://bold-venture.com 

What is BOLD Venture? 
It isn't a program—it’s an organic network of men and women who believe we must have authentic relationships in order to impact the world for the Lord. The three-day retreats are focused on worship, inspirational teaching and lots of fellowship around meals and in small groups. My closest friends and I want to do all we can to  disciple men and women to be courageous disciples of Jesus. I hope you will join us this year! Personal prayer and mentoring is our passion! 

The theme for our southeast men's event is Discovering Your Inner Warrior. God has placed so much passion, creativity, and boldness in men and He wants men around the world to step out in faith and lead with boldness, transparency, and accountability. If you want God to challenge you to a new level of faith pray about joining us. 
Speakers include: Matt Judd, Jeff Thrash, David Abraham, Eddie Taylor, Paul Muzichuk, Antione Ashley, Felipe Amorim, Chris Maxwell, and host Lee Grady.
Worship: Nate Barbour with special music by Jeremy Thrash.
Registration: $75 which includes 4 shared meals. Scholarships are available for college students and guys between the ages of 18 and 24 or men with financial challenges.
The first session begins at 5 p.m. on Thur., May 28 and concludes at 1 p.m. on Sat., May 30.


Here are some photos from previous years: 







































































Friday, February 20, 2015

Inside 'Christian' Marriage: The Invisible Pain


It's no secret that Christian marriages around the world are suffering.

Why are husbands becoming less affectionate to their wives? Why are wives distancing themselves from their husbands? I believe it is time for a spiritual revival not only in our churches but more deeply in our marriages. No self help books, seminars, or specific marriage teachings will transform our marriages more until both husband and wife fully submit to the leading, promptings, and convictions of the Holy Spirit. Let's examine five ways that Christian marriages begin to fall out of love.

1. Personal Prayer is Absent.
We can pray all we want at church, in public venues, or even take a selfie during a spiritual moment for friends and family to see but without consistent personal prayer your marriage relationship will begin to slide. "We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...". All of us. Husband and wife. If you want a God-honoring marriage ask the Holy Spirit to renew your prayer life today. Our generation follows the principles of 50 Shades of Grey quicker than the Word of God. Ask the Lord to renew your walk and begin to fervently pray that the Holy Spirit will begin to knit your hearts together so that true love from the Father will fill both your hearts to love in a deep and sincere way. Without prayer we build on sand. I challenge you build on the rock- Jesus Christ.

2. Secret Unrepentant Sin.
Both husband and wife must daily be washed in the presence of the Holy Spirit from sin's stain and stronghold. The Bible reminds us, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Do we take responsibility for the sin we committed or do we begin to blame our spouse just like Adam did in the Garden of Eden? Husbands-it is your sin of lust, sexual fornication, adultery not your wife's fault. Wives- it is your sin of bitterness, strive, and backbiting and not your husbands fault. The quicker we confess our sin to the Lord the quicker healing will begin in our marriage. Are you still hiding a secret sin? Is it more valuable than your marriage?

3. Me, My, Mine Attitude.
Remember your courtship days and how you each ran towards each other in affection. What happened since then? It is this attitude of self-pleasing that is deteriorating marriages around the world. The word, "I" is translated from Latin the word, "ego". Next time you speak to your spouse replace the word I with ego. My ego wants you to clean the house more! My ego wants you to be more helpful! My ego wants the house fixed. Changes the perspective doesn't it? The Bible reminds us that, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." Will you ask the Holy Spirit to change your attitude today?

4. Couples Competition.
This is not something new yet it deceives thousands of couples--the desire to  promote your lifestyle. Wives and husbands enter competition with other couples seemingly invisibly yet the affect is palpable. Husbands begin to work even more, wives begin to shop incessantly. Husbands show off their toy cars, wives promote their fashion style. The list can go on forever. In the midst of a couples pursuit to outdo their peers, they lose their affection for one another. If we are to passionately love the Lord Jesus Christ and exemplify a God-fearing marriage we must stop loving the world. There must become a visible and genuine difference between couples who love Jesus Christ and those who only carry a name for the facade. Examine your marriage, what has the Holy Spirit been asking you to let go?

5. Consistent Maintenance Avoided.
Husbands- what would happen if you did not change the oil in your car regularly? What would happen if you never bothered to check tire pressure or the threads on your tires? Sooner rather than later you would have a heavy repair bill. It is easier to maintain the vehicle properly than to repair an engine or worse potential car accident recovery. Many husbands avoid the "maintenance" issues in their marriages and expect everything to work fine. Imagine if husbands just yelled at the tires-"Why don't you just fill up faster!" or "Why engine do I have to clean you every time!". Yet, we often as husbands yell at our wives and think its always their fault. Maybe...just maybe we as husbands have dropped the ball in maintaining affection, romantic pursuit, or just simply being kind to our wives?

Wives- what would happen if you never washed your hair for an entire week? What would happen if you did not clean your house for an entire week? What would happen if you did not touch the laundry basket for a month? Yes- it would become a HUGE problem. How about your relationship with your husband? How long do you let things not get resolved until a big blow up occurs? What every wife obviously does is wash their hair often, clean the house daily, and wash/dry all the clothes as often as possible. When is the last time you found a way to your husbands heart to address issues that need some maintenance? Don't avoid them investigate them because his silence is an indication that relationship maintenance is long overdo.

My hope is that the Holy Spirit will prompt husbands and wives to recommit their walk with the Lord in a deep and passionate way so that God-honoring marriages can show what true sacrificial love is all about. Never give up on your relationship because Jesus never gives up on you!



Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Excuses Why Our Generation Skips Private Prayer....

Jesus clearly stated in Matthew 6:6, "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." This is one of the most talked about subjects in Christian circles yet it is one of the most seldom practiced at home. Why have we become so apathetic to talking with our Father in heaven? What makes us skip and create excuses to not enter our prayer closets? Is prayer a form for us or a lifestyle? Can we return as a generation to spending private quality time with the Lord again? Do YOU make excuses to avoid time in prayer?

I believe these are some of the more frequent excuses our generation has made to the area of private prayer....

1. Prayer Is Uninteresting. Give us hours and hours and hours of worship concerts, worship festivals, worship music, worship celebrations, worship awakenings but can I ask where is the same hunger for diligent PRAYER? More than anything, where is the passion for private prayer??

2. I Pray On The Go. We suppress our guilt-ridden conscious by praying on the go. We have enough time to swing by Starbucks and grab coffee and a bagel and along the ride we chew out words of requests to the Lord. We say we have prayed when we stand at a red light and utter ten words of thanks all the while sending five various text-messages to friends. If you want to KNOW the Father you must spend TIME with the Father. Prayer is not a drive-thru menu it's a place of separation, consecration, and dedication.

3. Busy! Busy! Busy! We love being busy! We have school engagements, church meetings, conferences, social parties, work obligations, college tests and on and on. We somehow are still able to fit all those events into our day yet we have dismal effort to find private time with the Father.

4. I Am Fatigued. More and more people are becoming weary not only physically but emotionally and spiritually. Our body screams at us to sleep one more hour and not to wake up. It has manipulating ways to make us go to bed without hearing the Father. The more we say yes to our flesh the more we say no to our spirit.

5. Prayer Starts and Ends in Church. If our passion is Jesus then let's meet with him privately. We love moving our lips during times of prayer in church but many times our hearts may be far from the One we are praying to. Church is a catalyst to keep our prayer life growing it shouldn't be our start and end point.

6. Prayer is Not MY Thing. Oh Really??! Prayer has never been any man's "thing". It has always been the tool to undo the flesh inside of us so that the Second Adam-Jesus Christ can rule and reign in every area of our lives. The Bible is not a buffet of teachings where I will take the blessings and let the praying be done by the leaders. Each of us gives personal account. Let's make prayer OUR thing in our generation!

7. I Get TOO Distracted. This is exactly why Jesus said to find a place and shut the door! Find a place and make the time to shut out the distractions. No iPhones, no texts, no emails, no books, no internet web browsing, shut it out. If you date your wife or husband and do all those other things while you are out, sooner or later it will cause awkward conversations. Dedicate the time solely to the Lord.

8. Pray FOR Me. As I travel the world, I notice more and more believers asking ministers, missionaries, pastors to pray FOR them. What's wrong with that, right? Well, when I follow up and ask, "Did you pray about it yet?", the reply usually is , "No not yet." We have a DIRECT line to the Father! Let's start using it. This is why Jesus suffered on the cross. This is why we have complete union with the Father again. Start talking with the FATHER. He is waiting for you.

9. I Cannot Pray Long. God is not desiring you to pray long prayers. He wants you to KNOW Him. It's not about what we tell God but what is God telling us? Does the Father know you or does He know about you? Stay in the secret place rain or shine. God always has something to tell you.

10. Just Pure Lazy. We can have an endless list of excuses yet one of the most underlining problems is pure laziness. That's right- LAZY! Our generation has a problem with responsibility and honest ethics. No one wants to admit and say, "Hey everyone! I'm lazy and really don't feel like it.". We must bring even our laziness to the Lord. Ask Him to give us the courage, will, and desire to be responsible enough to feed our souls and not blame pastors, church leaders, and ministers that they are not doing enough. It's time we stop being lazy Christians and start spending time with the Father one on one.

"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." -John 12:26

Twitter- @PaulMuzichuk

Thursday, February 6, 2014

10 Ways A Husband Can Be KIND To His Wife

Let's open of the word of God and see what Apostle Peter had to say recorded in 1 Peter 3:7, "Husbands, likewise, dwell with them(your wife) with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." Every Christian husband wants their prayers to be heard and answered but the Lord is warning husbands in this verse, DON'T MISTREAT YOUR WIFE! Your wife is your co-equal and she deserves to be honored and understood with kind affection. To help you jump start your motivation to serve your wife, here are 10 ways a husband can be kind towards his wife....

1. Clean The Kitchen. It wont take you long and it will put a huge smile on your wife's face. Clean the table off, wash the dishes, sweep and mop the floor and then tell her you loved doing it. (Major brownie points)

2. Pick Up Your OWN Clothes. Your wife is not your slave. You have two feet and two hands. If you have enough muscle to bench press 175lbs at the gym, then you have enough strength to lift dirty underwear, dirty socks, and sweaty clothes into the laundry basket.

3. Study The Bible Personally. As Christian men, we must understand that when we personally study the Word of God it begins to change our attitude in the home and in our relationships. Kindness is found in Jesus and if we study His teachings we certainly will grow the fruit of kindness. In many Christian marriage studies, wives have indicated they would feel more loved when their husbands have a dedicated study time in the Bible and prayer.

4. Cuddle With Your Wife. Wives want to feel the loving and kind embrace of their spouse. Husbands: when you to decide to cuddle its not about YOU its about HER! Stop thinking it must always lead to sex. Wives must feel honored and cared in all respects. This will certainly add to your love bank with her.

5. Say THANK YOU Often. Even if you have been married for many years, it should not stop us as husbands in giving thanks and appreciation to our wife. Every chance you get affirm her talents, character, good works, and use that to say THANK YOU! Being kind is not a sissy type of man but a man who respects his wife in a caring and loving way. If you want to have the aroma of Christ, use the words THANK YOU often towards your wife.

6. Have Daddy Days. Many couples have babies, toddlers, and growing children in their homes. Husbands- Take a few days each month and let your wife rest or go shopping or go out with her friends. Take the kids out for a full day not just saying hi to the kids and crashing on the couch. Experience the load of changing diapers, washing faces, replenishing milk bottles, and wiping tears away from crying toddlers. Your children will love it and your wife will certainly think you are the greatest husband and daddy.

7. LISTEN When Your Wife Talks With You. I read in a book once that says the word 'listen' has the same letters in it as the word 'silent'. When we listen to our wife we show kindness and care. We are attentive, we are focused on her needs, we make an intentional effort to hear the entire story no matter how many different angles it starts going into. Learn to listen to your wife.

8. Actually SMILE! It's not that hard to show loving graciousness like a genuine smile. Some men in the Slavic culture think its better to show a sour face and a serious look ALL THE TIME. God designed us to SHOW emotion and affection and the best place to start is with your wife. Make a diligent effort to greet her with a smile!

9. Scrub The Bathrooms. It may seem like the "woman's job" but I have not yet found a foundational scripture to defend that case. I DID find many scriptures for men to be loving towards their wives and that we have been created equal to share each others burdens. Husbands, if you never cleaned your bathrooms take time and try it. Scrub the inner layer of the toilet bowl, the shower tiles, the garbage can, wipe the hair and small particles of filth on the ground, wash the floor, use bleach, wipe the windows and then after you are done you can share with your wife your experience. It's a great tool to win even more brownie points.

10. Tell Her You LOVE HER! We as husbands have lack in this department. We KNOW that we love our wives but they need to HEAR our affirmation towards them. Don't be cheap on your words for your wife. Lavish her with words of encouragement and love. Tell her you love her in the middle of your day, tell her she is beautiful, tell her how important she is to you, tell her how wonderful a mother and spouse she is to you and the family. As men, we crave encouragement from our spouses but if we are cheap in our words towards them we shouldn't be harsh when we receive the same. Speak the words 'I LOVE YOU' often and in many ways to your wife.

This list should serve as a great motivation to start showing ways to be kind and caring towards your God-given gift- your wife. Serve her!

Twitter: @PaulMuzichuk

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Being KIND in a CRUEL World

What would it be like if YOU woke up every morning and your husband or your wife or your parents or your brothers or your sisters or your friends or those you meet along the day's journey made an intentional effort every single day to be kind towards you? How would you feel? What type of day would you most likely have? Would the extra effort to show kindness brighten your day? Would you feel the Father's love poured out on yourself? How amazing would it be to feel, experience, and know that those around you are making intentional ways to be kind and show kindness towards you?

The Bibles says in Proverbs 11:17 (ESV), "A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself." Another translation (NLT) says it this way, "Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you."
  • The primitive root word for kind or kindness in the verse above is chacad which literally means to be good, to be kind, and to show kindness to oneself. 
What an amazing verse in the Bible! Not only do you bless those around you when you make a diligent effort to be kind BUT the verse says it BENEFITS or REWARDS the one who is kind! That's powerful!

The reality in 2014 is that most people by nature are cruel. No one wants to even think that. No one wants to come out and admit, "Yes, I am cruel!". The word cruel sounds so blunt and hurtful but let's just look at a few synonyms related to it. Words that portray cruel are bitter, harsh, painful, spiteful, hateful, unkind. We shy away from directly saying that which lurks inside the dark areas of our hearts. Our hope is found in Proverbs 11:17 because we are given a choice. We can choose to be kind or we can choose to be cruel. We can choose to hurt ourselves or we can choose to reward ourselves through a lifestyle of kindness. God gives you a choice. Choose kindness!

 To help you jump-start your decision to be kind today and in the days to come these following suggestions may be helpful to you to choose to be kind....

1. Write a sticky-note of encouragement. Be specific.
2. Make an intentional effort to call a friend and just tell them you were thinking of them today. Pray over the phone for them. You will be amazed at the results.
3. Write a heartfelt email to your spouse, family, or friend. Be specific.
4. Text a "thank you" to someone who has really blessed you. Be specific. 
5. Sow a book, CD, or even a small gift to someone you have never sent one.
6. Call your Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, In-laws and just tell them you love them. Be specific. 
7. Pay for breakfast, lunch or dinner and treat someone to a meal. Relationships are priceless. 
8. Husbands: ASK for a honey-do list and try to actually finish it. Your wife will feel loved! 
9. Wives: Food is one of the best medicines for men. Find a unique recipe that fits the taste of your spouse. He will feel loved, respected, and extremely happy. 
10. Siblings: Take one of your sisters or brothers and spend a full day with them. Rebuild relationship. Go travel together, invest time together. 
11. Parents: Kindness to children is needed! If you feel cruelty they feel it twice more. Just spend TIME. Carve the time out. Make it a priority. 
12. Bless your spiritual fathers, mothers, friends who invest Godly influence into you with a monetary blessing. Random blessings produces encouragement. Be generous to those who care for you! 

Choose Kindness! 

Follow Paul on Twitter: @PaulMuzichuk



Monday, December 30, 2013

Top Ten Posts of 2013

Let's take the next couple of days to review 2013. First, let's start with my top ten posts of 2013. These range in the most page views and highest original user views. In reading comments and emails from this past year, I understand with great compassion there is a high need to address hush-hush ministry and church topics. Issues that are swept under the rug where people are seeking answers. Please click on the posts to read and comment...

1.) "Struggles of Slavic Third Culture Children": The problem is that the third culture kids, who are now young adults and married folks, face difficulty in letting go of the past and opening doors to fresh opportunities for the future. Many older parents hold strongly to the church traditions from their former life in the USSR. Traditions that today are hindering their third culture kids from expanding their horizons and increasing their potential in ministry.

2.) "Abuse of Slavic-American Women": I have personally spoken with many older Slavic women, younger mothers, single ladies, and even young teen girls about the culture of an abusive household mainly having to do with men taking advantage of the women in their homes. Does this indicate that all Slavic-American families have a stronghold of a macho-domineering attitude?, of course not. However, we cannot let the neglect and pains continue without addressing its core roots and making way for the Holy Spirit to heal and restore. 

3.) "17 Definitive Practices We MUST Crucify": Apostle Paul teaches us in Galatians 5:19-21, a list of 17 practices we must all crucify.


4.)  "Pornography for Women: 50 Shades of Grey": What continues to strike me with shock is how believers continue to approve, distribute, and even not see a problem with this type of writing. We must find ways to consecrate our minds and purify our hearts from the lures of the world. Jesus Christ did not die on the cross so we can continue to live willfully in sin, but He paid the price for our sin and gives us freedom from the stronghold of sin. Our hope is not in a sexual fantasy that degrades our mind, soul, and relationships but in the power of Jesus Christ and His love. 

5.) "Celebrating Leadership Gifts in Women": Somehow we have seen more voices like, "Sit down, your not allowed to preach! Women must be silent in the church! You have no authority to speak! Your task is to be home with the kids! You can only support your husband! Cook, clean, stay home, that is your purpose in life!" As the body of Christ, we must see EVERY member valuable, honorable, and functional for the glory of God. Then the question is raised, Why should we celebrate leadership gifts in women? 

6.) "iAsk: Bogdan Kipko, Pastor and Lead Visionary at Intentional Christianity": I am also passionate about navigating a movement in which predominately Slavic churches in America would in a healthy way transition to be more effective for the gospel by creating additional English venues so that communities who don't speak Russian would also be reached with the gospel. I want to see the church fulfill their calling in the United States and one of the ways that will happen is when the Slavic church will cease to be an isolationist community, bound by culture and tradition and would break out of the mold to evangelize and reach the lost people in their midst that speak a language other than one of the Slavic dialects.

7.) "12 Topics the Church Is NOT Talking About": I was blessed to be at a men's conference called Barnabas Renewal in Atlanta, GA where 25 ministers under the age of 40 came together for prayer, renewal, accountability, and building relationships. Men from all over the country came and even one youth pastor from Vancouver, Canada. God was encouraging each of us to hear His voice and be led by the voice of the Holy Spirit. One topic we discussed was: What is the Church (Body of Christ) either locally or around the world NOT talking about. Here are 12 things we must start addressing in 2014....  

8.) "The Internal Enemy of Women: Comparison": Most women do not struggle with looking lustfully upon men's bodies. The way the eye of women usually works has largely to do with COMPARISONS. 

9.) "Preparing For Persecution": Fellow Christians, we are being prepared by the Holy Spirit to endure much persecution in the years to come in this country. Like it or not it’s coming. 

10.) "Consequences In Dealing With Sexual Sin Publicly": One verse that keeps slipping the minds of many men is found in Numbers 32:23, "But if ye will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out." In our age of hyper-grace and distant personal accountability we have discovered the true meaning of this verse with the epidemic tsunami of moral failures one after another from mega-church preachers to local 50 member congregations not only here in America but around the world.

Follow Paul on Twitter: @PaulMuzichuk

Monday, December 23, 2013

iAsk: Matthew McCloskey- Missionary to Russia & Ukraine

Every Monday I will be posting new interviews with Christian leaders to find in-depth counsel on issues such as ministry, family, careers, politics, finance, and theology. Today's in-depth interview is with Matthew McCloskey missionary to Russia and Ukraine. Let's begin...


Matthew and his wife
Paul: Matt-First, can you tell us who you are, what you do, and what is your greatest passion in life? Our readers will be interested in hearing your story.

Matthew: First off, I just want to thank you, Paul, for being such a great example of a godly minister of the Gospel in our generation. You and your wife and family have been such an encouragement to me personally and I know to so many others as well. You are more of an example than you know.
At this time I actually have a 9-5 job, but I greatly enjoy discipleship and teaching on the Father’s love, identity and the prophetic.  My wife and I love helping people grow in intimacy with the Father and a greater understanding of the depths to which He loves them outrageously.
My wife and I help lead evangelism at the Slavic Missionary Bible School in Jacksonville, FL which is a school which equips Russian speaking people young people in the US to do ministry in Ukraine and Russia, as well as in their home churches. We also lead Bible studies at our house focusing on identity and helping others hear the Father’s voice.
I also have a passion for the Russian speaking world and have spent a great amount of time in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Russia. My wife and I along with a few others are praying about starting a ministry school in Russia in the coming year which will focus on the Father’s heart, prayer and worship, and the prophetic.
Paul: 1.) Matt, let's talk a bit about the prophetic. Many people in the body of Christ have been skeptical concerning prophecies and supernatural manifestations. From your experience and knowledge of prophetic gifting should churches and ministry leaders be more open to training their people to hear God's voice to bring edification to the people via prophecy?
Matthew: For me, the prophetic is simply hearing our Father’s voice. It is living in a place of intimacy with the Father in which we are attentive to what He is saying.
So many churches and Christians relate to Jesus and salvation as some kind of stamp in their spiritual passport which gets them into heaven. Jesus did die so we could have eternal life and we should thank and praise Him for that every single day. But yet He died for so much more – He died to bring us into a deep relationship and conversation with the Father.
While we remain here on this earth, God wants our lives to be one giant conversation with Him. He wants to talk with His children. And those conversations can look so different day to day. Dad can speak to us in pictures when we close our eyes, in verses from the Bible, in a little phrase, in dreams, in visions, in words from friends, in sermons, and in feelings of peace and joy so deep that we know they came from His hand.
He is speaking every day to His children. He speaks to encourage us, to give us vision for our lives, to give us identity and a deep sense of belonging.
And He wants us to become so good at hearing His voice that we can hear Him not only for ourselves, but also for others. He wants us to speak His words of life and power into situations to encourage our friends, family and even strangers. He wants us to hear when He is saying – “go tell that lady that I will help her relationship with her husband.” “Go tell that young guy that I have a plan for His life.” It is not something we turn on and off. It is a place of intimacy with Him that we simply live in.
Slowly, we begin to see people only as the Lord sees them. We call out victory.
Hearing God’s voice is something for every day believers and not simply super believers.
Praying
Paul: 2.) There has been much debate concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit or as others call it receiving their prayer language. How vital is it for growing Christians to hunger the baptism of the Holy Spirit? What happens when Christians are apathetic to the ministry of the Holy Spirit?
Matthew: When you truly have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, it is only natural to want more of His Spirit. There are levels of peace, joy, love, kindness, goodness, gentleness, patience and self-control where the Lord wants to take us, but we have to be willing to go there and we have to be willing to ask for more of His Spirit and presence.
He says “those who seek Him, find Him” and “those who ask, receive.”
And I think there are always greater levels of His presence and power where the Lord wants to take us. There is always more of the Lord to receive. We simply need to begin asking.
I think so many of us are going to get to heaven and look back and just be so sad that we missed out on so much because we did not ask. “Do you mean I could have walked in that much power and authority?” “Do you mean I could have walked through peace in that situation?” “Do you mean I could have felt even more tangible and unspeakable joy in the midst of that problem?” “Do you mean I was that loved by you even when I messed up?”
There is that great balance in our walk between being thankful for where we are and what we have already received, but yet remaining hungry for more. But to paraphrase an advertising slogan: Stay Hungry, my friends.
Paul: 3.) Revivals, great awakenings, spiritual thirst from years past have come by women and men who were thirsty and hungry for holiness, intimacy with God, and the study of the Word of God. Have you seen examples of a generation engulfed in the pursuit of purity and passion for God's Word? What hope can be addressed to those who want more of God in our day and age?
Matthew: What is really exciting is the birth of so many movements in the United States and around the world which are dedicated to holiness, the Word, and intimacy with the Father. Mike Bickle and International House Of Prayer in Kansas City come to mind right away. They have a house of prayer in Kansas City which has been lifting up praise to the Father for almost 15 years now and they have thousands of young people who keep it running day in and day out. They aren’t praying out of a place of obligation or because a pastor told them enough times “PRAY!”. Their prayers come from a deep sensing of the Father’s love for them. They pray from a place of identity as sons and daughters of the Lord and when you are there, God’s presence is so tangible.
You also have Bethel Church and Bill Johnson in California who have a ministry school which focuses on helping equip people to operate in power and authority in the Spirit. Their students regularly go on the streets and prophesy over people and pray for the sick and see them recover. You also have Lou Engel and the Call, Youth With A Mission, Morningstar, and so many other ministry schools which are creating vision for a generation to seek after holiness, intimacy with the Father and a deep, deep love for the Word.
My suggestion to someone seeking to go deeper with the Lord and to grow in intimacy is to first ask the Lord for more. Remember: those who ask, receive. And also begin asking the Lord to bring you into a community of believers who value intimacy with Him. He may show you that you need to go to a ministry school mentioned above. He may bring you into fellowship with another school or group of friends. Just begin to ask and listen.
He will be gentle. He will be understanding. He wants you closer more than you even want to draw closer.
Street Missions
Paul: 4.) What advice can you share for women and men who are called into missionary work? Some go on short-term assignments others stay for long-term projects. What have you learned that you can share for those who are entering the mission field in 2014?
Matthew: When we look at people, we see that each person’s face, fingerprints, eyes – everything - is incredibly unique. Even in nature, snowflakes and leaves are all distinct. In the same way, our spiritual gifting and callings are entirely one of a kind. No two people minister the same way. No two people preach the same. No two people carry the same spiritual gifting basket. And so we should not be surprised if we are called to do something no one has ever done, or if we minister in unique ways which is slightly or entirely different than how other people minister.
Some are called to write books. Some are called to preach. Some are called to witness one on one. Some are called to simply counsel. Some are called to go. Some are called to stay. Find your place in the body and revel in it. When you know your place in the body, you can take even more joy in others success.
I think the safest and best place to distill our calling and place in the body is during times of intimacy with the Father. When you are in those moments of prayer encounter, ask Him how He sees you. Ask Him to show you what ministry you will be doing in the future. Ask Him to show you how it will be, what challenges there will be, and how you can prepare for it even at this time. You can ask for confirmation. He will give it. He understands our frailty more than we know.
And one more thing – write what He says down. When shaking comes, stand on what He has told you and confirmed in those moments.
Paul: 5.) Someone told me once if you are not reading you are not leading. What books other than the Bible have you read that may help others grow in intimacy and pursuit of the Father's heart in their personal walk with the Lord?
Matthew: I find biographies and autobiographies to be so encouraging.  There is something that happens when I read life stories of Christian men and women which renews my mind and sharpens my focus on what a godly life looks like. I can see in their lives things I have gone through or am going through. To paraphrase Revelation 12:11, I feel when I read their testimonies I am strengthened to overcome.
I just got done reading Eric Metaxas’ biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer for the second time which is such a great book to read especially given the times we now live in. I believe our generation, like his, will have to navigate living out our godly principles in a relevant way in a society in which the Zeitgeist is very much against Jesus.  

I also just finished reading Don Richardson’s account of his ministry to the cannibals of Papua New Guinea, Peace Child. I learned so much about the sacrifice which is needed to reach unreached people for the Gospel and also the importance of finding relevant cultural examples to aid in explaining the Gospel.
We should always be reading, because the Lord uses that so much to strengthen our inner man and to focus us on the tasks ahead.

Follow Paul on Twitter: @PaulMuzichuk